This invention is concerned with a support for an operative member of a glassware forming machine of the individual section type, the member moving, in a cycle of operation of the machine, between operative and out-of-the-way positions thereof along a path which has a vertical component and an arcuate component about a vertical axis.
In a glassware forming machine of the individual section type, three operative members, namely the baffle, the funnel, and the blowhead, make movements which are along a path which has a vertical component and an arcuate component about a vertical axis. The funnel is moved into an operative position on top of a blank mould of the machine so that the funnel can guide gobs of molten glass into the mould and is then moved to its out-of-the-way position. The blowhead is moved in similar manner to the funnel but into position on a finish mould of the machine so that air can be blown through the blowhead into a parison in the blow mould to cause the parison to expand to the shape of the mould. The movements of the baffle depend on whether the machine is carrying out a press-blow process of moulding glass or a blow-blow process. In the press-blow process, the baffle is moved on top of the blank mould after the funnel has been removed therefrom and closes the opening of the mould cavity so that when a plunger is introduced into the mould from below the gob in the mould is pressed against the baffle and side portions of the mould to the shape of a parison. In the blow-blow process, the baffle is first moved on top of the funnel while the funnel is still on the blank mould so that air can be blown through the baffle and the funnel into the mould to force the glass gob therein downwardly, the baffle is then removed so that the funnel can be removed and then the baffle is placed on the blank mould so that the baffle closes the opening of the mould cavity and enables a parison to be blown in the mould cavity against the baffle and the side portions to the mould.
The movements of the funnel, baffle and blowhead in a glassware forming machine of the individual section type are each brought about by a fluid-pressure operated moving mechanism. Such a moving mechanism is well known and is generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,911,119 (FIG. 4). The mechanism comprises a vertically-extending cylinder, a piston movable vertically in the cylinder upon the introduction of fluid under pressure into the cylinder, a piston rod projecting from said piston along said vertical axis, and cam means acting on a second piston rod projecting from said piston in the opposite direction to said first piston rod, to cause the piston rod to turn about the vertical axis as it moves vertically. The operative member is mounted on an arm which projects from and is fixedly mounted on said first piston rod of the mechanism so that motion of the piston rod caused by movement of the piston in the cylinder causes the operative member to move vertically with the piston rod and to be moved arcuately as the piston rod is turned about its vertical axis. Such moving mechanisms are tried and tested and are in use on machines of the individual section type throughout the world.
Although the moving mechanisms described above have been designed to give the required vertical and arcuate components to the path movement of the operative member, a recent development in the method of cooling the blank moulds has made it desirable to be able to increase the vertical component of said path. This recent development is described in European Patent No. 0 153 534 and relates to the provision of plenum chambers projecting over the top of the mould side portions so that air can be supplied from the plenum chambers into passages passing vertically downwardly through the mould side portions. Because of the presence of these plenum chambers, it is desirable to be able to increase the vertical component of the path of movement of the funnel so that the funnel clears these plenum chambers. It is also possible to envisage circumstances in which the vertical component of the path of movement of a baffle or a blowhead would need to be increased.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a support for an operative member of a glassware forming machine of the individual section type which enables the vertical component of the path of movement of the operative member to be increased while enabling a conventional moving mechanism to be utilised.